A company called III Arms has just received ATF approval to manufacture firearms. Setting up a gun manufacturer is just a small part of III Arms’ plan, which is to establish a completely self-sufficient community in the mountains of Idaho.

It will be called “The Citadel” and include a walled urban center—10 feet thick by 20 feet high and four miles long—surrounded by rural plots for farming. It is, to turn a phrase, a planned prepper community.

Despite being armed and armored, the Citadel isn’t being made to defend its people from military or government action, rather, it’s intended to be a safe haven for forward-thinkers to weather a social, economic or environmental collapse. It is at the leading edge of anti-establishment living, but it “is not designed to withstand any direct .mil or .gov attack. Nor is the Citadel, in any manner, attempting to provoke any government entity,” according to the project FAQ.

III Arms began taking pre-orders for AR-15 rifles and 1911 handguns last November anticipating the FFL. Both have pre-order prices of $1,550, reflecting the difficulty of making small batches of firearms and current market trends. They’re also limited by the availability of certain parts, although it stands to reason that down the road they’ll be able to make everything in-house, should everything else go according to plan. All profits, if any, will go towards expanding their manufacturing capabilities.

The name "III Citadel" came into the limelight last weekend, when The Drudge Report posted a prominent link to a CNS article by Gregory Gwyn-Williams, Jr.. In a nutshell, a man identifying himself as "Sam III" who is somehow loosely associated with III Arms (a legitimate company, in West Virginia) started a patriot community building project, somewhere east of St. Maries, Idaho. When I first heard about it in November, I made just one short and noncommittal "this sounds interesting" mention in my blog. (A post which I just removed.)

Two days ago I was quite troubled to learn that the main promoter of Citadel III is a convicted felon. (That, according to the SipseyStreetIrregulars blog.)

In the III Citadel web page and blog, Mr. Hyman /Sam Kerodin / Christian Kerodin / Sam Kerillion / Sam Hellesponte / Sam III / Nom Du Jour seems to imply that I've somehow endorsed his venture or that what they are doing fits in with my American Redoubt concept. I haven't endorsed it, and he is not my buddy. To the best of my knowledge I've never met, spoken or corresponded with the man.

Three-letter frog in Kerodin's pocket? Anecdotes of the Kerodin career. A convicted extortionist. Turns out his real name is Christian Hyman.

Again, I have nothing to do with Mr. Hyman. My only nexus to him is that he chose a piece of land that is in one of the states that I recommend for relocation. He has apparently tried to capitalize on my name. According to the SipseyStreetIrregulars blog, Mr. Hyman "persuades folks to invest" in the project. My advice: Beware of III Citadel!

In closing, I should point out that III Arms is a separate entity and to the best of my knowledge they are a legitimate and reputable company. - J.W.R.

AND

As I've mentioned before, I share some strong reservations about the Citadel community plan and the group's leadership. (Namely, Mr. Kerodin.) Our friend Patrice Lewis, who lives in the same county, recently wrote a cogent summary, in her excellent Rural Revolution blog. Some of the comments that follow are thought provoking.

A fundamental flaw is that they plan to lease shares in a walled community, rather than sell clear title to individual lots. Without private land holdings by the individual members, this wouldn't be much more than a hippie commune--albeit a heavily-armed hippie commune.

I know the region quite well. In fact, it is not far from where my first novel (Patriots) was set. The subdivision, zoning and permit requirements in Benewah County are favorable to development. (Much better than in adjoining Latah County, where there is a 40 acre minimum parcel size, for subdivision.) There are now permits required and a building code is enforced, but agricultural buildings are exempt.

Outside of the sprawling National Forest, the only large tracts of land around there (usually no more than 640 acre sections--see the checkerboard pattern of sections in the Forest Service maps) are mostly held by the big timber companies such as Potlatch. The largest tracts and the most affordable (per acre) are mostly in high elevation country which have serious access problems in the winter and are pitiful, agriculturally. (Again, because of the elevation, which means a short growing season.)

Generally, the big tracts of land don't go on the market until after they've been logged. Bit I must mention that these days, the loggers no longer do many clear cuts, and they have special cutting plans required near streams.

While I do recommend the lower-elevation portions of the region, I don't think that the current Citadel plan has much chance of success. And as long as ex-felon Mr. Kerodin is in the leadership, I cannot endorse it.

jrs - something I ran across

jrs
--
"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.", Will Durant

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.", Edmund Burke

That's always been my problem with the "Citadel" concept is that "someone" is in charge of the community. I don't know the man but history has plenty of examples of so called "benevolent dictators" who don't turn out so benevolent. Sounds kind of like a new "Mount Carmel" Waco in the making to me. Think I'll pass regardless.

When you're born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America , you get a front row seat. - George Carlin

Re Citadel

Originally Posted by Black Blade

That's always been my problem with the "Citadel" concept is that "someone" is in charge of the community. I don't know the man but history has plenty of examples of so called "benevolent dictators" who don't turn out so benevolent. Sounds kind of like a new "Mount Carmel" Waco in the making to me. Think I'll pass regardless.

Hi Blade
You beat me to the punch ! about the Citadel sounding like a New
Mount Carmel. The more I hear about it the more Im convinced, and it just so happens to have a convicted felon on the neighboring property, Could this just be an innnocent fluke that a convicted felon lives next to shall we say a secretive style armed compound or is there more to it. and to get a FFL to boot. I hate to speculate things, but in this case how can you not.
Usally the ATF is quite detailed in thier investigations who gets to manufacture firearms. Now by having a manufacturing Lic as most know that means ATF can ring your bell anytime any day at any hour, and its adviseable that you comply. Now From what I gather on the few tidbits of information,I doubt that the goverment would issue a FFL maufacturing License to an
organaztion that is or may claim to be sovergin nation. espically making AR15s and 1911's. there is alot of grey area here, in fact Id say blacked out even. When I get a feeling that something isnt right I;m usally right. And the only sovergin nations I know of that are allowed in the United States are Native American Reservations. And Forgin embasies. to me this whole situation seems a bit on the shagy side. And hers another question to ponder, ok they are going to manufacture weapons to sell to the public, they will have to follow all state and federal guidelines as we know. But someone whom is building this type of compound ( lack of a better word) is surely going to draw major attention to itself, and not to mention honest law abiding gun owners. My thinking is if you are going to have one of these types of communties why in the hell would you apply for an FFL manufactures license, that puts you right squre under the goverment microscope! YOu have the right as a citizan to make any singleshot or semi automatic firearm as long as you follow the rules that is set forth by ATF. So I would not see the readon for haveing a FFL other than to raise money for thier cause. which again will draw attention from those boys with the nicely gold shelds from washington and thier local field offices. Ive got a bad feeling about this one guys, Its beginning to sound as if they are gearing up for trouble and they will face it head on I have no doubt the actions of this group are less than honorable.....Doc

When I read that it was east of St Maries, the first thing that popped into my mind is the poor access, high elevation, and poor growing in that area. I work for one of the lumber companies, and while that area may be a great place to hide, if that's what you're into, it would be a horrible place to farm.

Just what we need, a bunch of wackos living in semi-seclusion, with anti-government paranoia on high, with a dictator running the compound, where no one owns where they live...Doesn't sound like paradise to me...

Kerodin wrote top mall CEOs in the Washington, D.C., area and offered his services as a consultant. Allegedly included in the deal was exclusion of their shopping centers from mention in an upcoming blistering report he said he was preparing on mall security.

A Secret Service officer posing as a developer met with Hyman, who was arrested and charged with extortion after allegedly asking for a $120,000 payoff to “go away.”

"An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 30 months in prison and fined $6,000 after he pleaded guilty in January to charges of extortion and possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle."